We've all seen people who get moderately drunk: They become loud and argumentative and say inappropriate things. We've seen people who get very drunk: Their speech is slurred, they stagger when they walk, they drink themselves into a stupor. They have withdrawal symptoms such as sweating, shaking or nausea if they don't have a drink.

It's tempting to tell yourself, "Well, I'm not like that, so I don't have a drinking problem." But if you responded "yes" to any of the first four questions, or if you have any of the problems mentioned above, you probably do have a drinking problem, or are well on the way to one.

So what you should be telling yourself when you see someone who clearly is drunk is that you're lucky you don't have a serious problem -- yet. You also should understand that you could be on the road to a serious problem, and that the sooner you deal with it, the more you will be able to turn it around.

We have a lot more information on problem drinking and what to do about it in our Special Health Report, "Alcohol Use and Abuse." You can find out more about it at my website.

Talk to your doctor about your concerns. If there's a chance you have a problem, work with your doctor to determine the best treatment options for you.

(Dr. Komaroff is a physician and professor at Harvard Medical School. Go to his website to send questions and get additional information: www.AskDoctorK.com.)